Um here's the deal.
Capital ships can actually engage smaller vessels, they just can't engage the transports.
So basically... If you have 6 fighters and 1 bs vs their 6 fighters and 1 bs, and your bs kills their bs, you can stand down if you want but you can keep shooting.
as long as you stay there tho, you are in combat. whenever you decide to move 10k away, you actually fled, and you count as losing.
if a fight moves from you, you have to pursue it.
if you are within 10k of the fight and new BS comes in, you can target it freely.